Method and apparatus for surfacing cylindrical objects



D. A. WALLACE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SURFA 2,498,903 CING Feb. 28,1950 CYLINDRICAL OBJECTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 25, 194'!INVENTOR. Ids :1 x7 M/lrce.

. Feb. 28, 1950 D. A. WALLACE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SURFACINGCYLINDRICAL OBJECTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 23, 1947 INVENTOR.jarzl'z /7 M a/Zace.

Patented Feb. 28, 1950 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SURFACING OYLINDRICALoBJEo'rS David A. Wallace, Grosse Pointe Farms Mich. assignor toChrysler Corporation, Highland Park, Mich., a corporation of DelawareApplication September 23, 1947, Serial No. 775,715

Claims.

This invention relates to the art of finishing surfaces and comprisesmeans for finishing the surface of a wire or rod as it is fed in acontinuous longitudinal movement.

One of the main objects of the invention is to provide a means tocompound a plurality of simultaneous movements so that no increment ofthe work surface is twice traversed in the same direction by thesameparticle of an abrading element.

It is a further object of the invention to provide means to producesimultaneous movements of diiferent directions, amplitudes andfrequencies, whereby a rapid stroke of an abrading element is compoundedwith a slow stroke of the abrading element so that the element iscontinuously reciprocated relative to the wire or rod in relatively longslow strokes each of which comprises a plurality of short rapid strokeswhile. the element rotates relative to the wire or rod that is beingfinished and a continuous longitudinal movement of the wire or rod ismaintained.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide a method forfinishing the surface of a cylindrical object that compoundsreciprocatory movements of different amplitudes and frequencies withlinear and rotary movements of abrading elements relative to the surfaceof the cylindrical object.

The apparatus is adapted to polish either wire or continuous lengths ofrod and. the term rod will be used herein, although it is to beunderstood that they invention is not so limited.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the apparatus;

Fig. 2 is substantially a vertical section of the carriage portion ofthe apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is an end view of the apparatus.

The apparatus shown in the drawings comprises'a frame Ill and a movablecarriage I2. The frame carries means to reciprocate the carriage inrelatively long strokes and means to continuously feed the rod. Thecarriage carries abrading elements, means to rotate the elements andmeans to reciprocate the elements in relatively short strokes.

The rod or wire has been designated by the numeral [4. A pair of rollersI6 and I8 and an electric motor 26 adapted to drive at least one of therollers through earing provide a continuous feed of the rod through thecarriage. The roller I6 is illustrated as being rotatably mounted on astationary bracket 2| and urged into engage- 55 ment with the. rod 14bye spring 22. The driving roller l8 carries. a Worm. e r 2 w i h ikeyed thereto. A shaft 26 of the. electric motor 20 carries a wQrm 28which drivingly engages the worm gear 24.110 efieet a drive of rollerl8. Rotation of the roller I8 which frictionally engages the rod 14produces a continuous axial movement of the rod 14.

Means are provided on the frame I'D for causing the. carriage I2 toreciprocate relative to the frame In in relatively long strokes. Thismeans comprises an electric motor 30 and a slotted head 34 which isgeared through reduction means 32 to the motor 36. The head 34 isprovided with (a transverse slot 38 which preferably has a dovetailedsection (not shown). A pitman 46 is adapted to besecured to the head 34by a slot engaging element 42. It is evident that any desired degree ofeccentricity can be produced between the head 3,4 and slot engagingelement 42 by adjustment of element 42 in the slot 38.. Rotationof head34 thus produces a reciprocation of pitman due to the eccentricitybetween the head 34, and slot engaging element 42. The outer end of thepitman 40 is pivotally connected to the carriage l2 at 46. The carriageI2 is slidably mounted in, a track, portion 56 of the frame l6. Suitabletrack engaging portions 52 are provided on the carriage 12 to guide the,carriage in its longitudinal movement. It is therefore evident thatreciprocation of the pitman 40 will reciprocate the, carriage l2.

An electric motor, 56 is secured to the carriage 12 as by bolts 58. .Apulley wheel 60 is operatively connected to the shaft of the motor 56preferably through a variable speed drive mechanism 51. A pulley wheel62 is adapted to be driven by the motor 56 through a belt 64 whichoperatively engages pulley wheels 66 and 62. The carriage 121s providedwith a housing 65 having a pair of. relatively stationary hearingmembers 66 and 66. ,A rotatable shaft 16 is keyed to the pulley 62 andjournaled in the bearing member 66. Ball bearings I2 are preferablyusedto journalthe shaft 10 in the member 66. A rotatable shaft'8ll isjournaled in the bearing, member 68, The rotatable shafts l6 and 86 areprovided with splined portions 82 and 84 respectively. A collar 86 issplined to the portion 82. A collar 83 is splined, to the portion 84,These collars are, connected by a plurality of elongated bolts 90., A.pair of rollers 92 and 94 are rotatably mounted on the carriage housing65 and adapted to engage cam surfaces 96 and 98' provided on the collars86 and 88 respectively. The surfaces 96 and 98 are so shaped that as thecollars 88 and 88 rotate these surfaces produce a plurality ofrelatively short reciprocations of the collar 86, bolts 90 and collar 88which move as a unit. I'he irregularities on the surfaces 56 and 98which produce the relatively short reciprocatory motions are preferablysynchronized so that as a high point on the surface 96 engages theroller 92 and moves the unit to the right as illustrated in Fig. 2, alow spot on the surface 98 is aligned with the roller 94 to accommodatethis movement. The rotation of the unit and the cam members is of courseimparted by the belt 64, pulley wheel 62, rotatable shaft 10 and thesplined portion 82 thereof. The shafts I and 80 and collars 86 and 88are each provided with an axial opening adapted to receive the wire orrod I4.

The collars 86 and 88 carry a plurality of abrading elements I00 whichare circumferentially spaced about the rod I4 as illustrated in Fig. 3.Each abrading element I00 is carried in a holder I02. Each holder I02 isslidably mounted for lateral movement relative to a longitudinallyextending bar I04. A leaf spring I06 reacts against each bar to urgeeach abrading element to resiliently engage the rod I4. Each bar I04 issecured to the collars 86 and 88. The end portions of each bar arebolted to the collars as illustrated in Fig. 2. Rotation of the collars86 and 88 thus imparts a rotation to the abrading elements I00 by virtueof the fact that each bar I04 rotates with the collars and carriestherewith' its associated holder I02 and abrading element I00.

Means have been described herein to produce a plurality of synchronousrelative movements between the rod I4 and the abrading elements I00. Therollers I6 and I8 move the rod longitudinally while the motor 30 andslotted head 34 cooperate with the pitman 40 to reciprocate the carriageI2 on the track 50 in relatively long slow movements. The motor 56rotates the abrading elements I00 relative to the rod I4 and thisrotation by means of the cam surface on collars 86 and 88 superimposes aplurality of relatively short rapid strokes of the abrading elementsrelative to the rod I 4.

If desired means to lubricate and cool the work and the abradingelements I00 may be provided. A tank H0 is mounted below the carriageI2. An electric motor H2 is provided and adapted to drive a pump H4. Thepump I I4 is interposed in a line II6 which has one end connected to thetank I I0 and the other end connected to a plurality of inlet nozzles H8located in the upper portion of the carriage I2. An opening I I9 isprovided in the base portion of housing 65 so that the lubricant coolantmay return by gravity to tank H0. A relief value I20 may be providedbetween the line H6 and the tank III) on the downstream side of the pumpII4 if desired. The line I I6 preferably has a flexible portion I22therein so that the reciprocatory movements of the carriage II2 will notbe hindered.

A door I24 may be provided in the housing 65 of the carriage I2 tofacilitate the adjustment or replacement of abrading elements I00 ifdesired.

Although but one specific embodiment of the invention is herein shownand described, it will be understood that various changes in thesequence of operations, steps and materials employed may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for surface finishing wire comprising a frame structure, acarriage slidably carried by said frame structure for linear movementrelative thereto, driving means adapted to impart reciprocatory movementof a first amplitude and frequency to said carriage relative to saidframe structure, a holder carried by said carriage and adapted to rotateand reciprocate relative to said carriage, said holder and said carriagehaving means formed therein which define a passage for said wire, meansto create relative longitudinal movement between said wire and saidholder, abrading elements carried by said holder and adapted to engagethe surface of said wire, power means carried by said carriage andadapted to rotate said holder relative to said carriage and therebyrotate said abrasive elements relative to said wire and cooperating cammeans carried by said carriage and said holder and operable as anincident to rotation of said holder to produce a reciprocation of asecond amplitude and frequency of said holder and abrading elementsrelative to said carriage.

2. Apparatus for surface finishing wire comprising a frame structure, acarriage slidably carried by said frame structure for linear movementrelative thereto, driving means adapted to impart reciprocatory movementof a first amplitude and frequency to said carriage relative to saidframe structure, a hollow shaft rotatably mounted in said carriage, saidhollow shaft providing a passage therethrough for said wire, drivingmeans to rotate said shaft, a plurality of abrasive elements adapted tocontact said wire, a holder for said elements splined to said shaft andhaving a cam surface, a cam surface on said carriage adapted to engagesaid holder and reciprocate said holder at a second amplitude andfrequency in response to rotation of said holder relative to saidcarriage.

3. Apparatus for surface finishing wire comprising a frame structure, acarriage slidably carried by said frame structure for linear movementrelative thereto, driving means adapted to impart reciprocatory movementof a first amplitude and frequency to said carriage relative to saidframe structure, first and second spaced aligned hollow shafts rotatablymounted in said carriage, a collar splined to said first shaft, a collarsplined to said second shaft, each of said collars being provided with apassage therethrough which cooperates with said hollow shafts to definea passage for said wire, a plurality of bars each having the endsthereof secured to said collars and positioned in parallel relationshipto said passage, an abrading element carried by each of said bars andmounted for movement radially of said passage, resilient means urgingeach of said elements into engagement with said wire, power meanscarried by said carriage and adapted to rotate one of said shafts andthereby rotate said collars and said abrasive elements relative to saidwire and cooperating cam means carried by said carriage and said collarsand operable as an incident to rotation of said movable apparatus toproduce a reciprocation of a second amplitude and frequency of saidcollars and abrading elements relative to said carriage.

4. The method of surface finishing a cylindrical object comprising thesteps of imparting linear movement to said object in the direction ofits axis, creating relative rotary movement between abrasive materialand the surface of said object during the linear movement andsimultaneously therewith creating a relative reciprocatory movement of afirst amplitude and frequency between said object and said materiallongitudinally of said object and compounding therewith a secondreciprocatory movement of a second amplitude and frequency between saidobject and said material longitudinally of said object.

5. Apparatus for surface finishing wire or rod comprising a framestructure, a carriage slidably carried by said frame structure forlinear movement relative thereto, driving means adapted to impartreciprocatory movement of a first amplitude and frequency to saidcarriage relative to said frame structure, said frame structure havingmeans formed therein which defines a passage for wire, means tocontinuously feed said wire through said passage, abrading elementscarried by said carriage and adapted to engage the surface of wire beingfed through said passage, means associated with said carriage andadapted to rotate said elements relative to the wire in said passage andmeans to impart reciprocatory movement of a second amplitude andfrequency to the elements relative to said wire in said passage.

6. A surface finishing machine for finishing the surface of acylindrical stock comprising a frame, a carriage slidably mounted onsaid frame, driving means to reciprocate said carriage on said frame, asurface finishing element mounted for rotation and for linear movementrelative to said carriage, driving means to rotate said element and toreciprocate said element relative to said carriage and means forimparting longitudinal movement to the stock to feed it through saidcarriage in contact with said element.

'7. A surface finishing machine for finishing the surface of acylindrical stock comprising a carriage mounted for reciprocationrelative to said stock, means to force wire stock longitudinally throughsaid carriage, driving means adapted to impart reciprocatory movement ofa first amplitude and frequency to said carriage relative to said stock,abrading elements mounted on said carriage for movement therewith andfor rotation and reciprocation relative thereto, said abrading elementsbeing mounted for engagement with said wire stock, driving meansconnected with said abrading elements and adapted to rotate saidelements relative to said carriage and means operable in response torelative rotation of said elements and said carriage to impartreciprocatory movement of a second amplitude and frequency to saidelements relative to said'stock.

8. Apparatus for surface finishing wire or rod comprising a framestructure, a carriage slidably carried by said frame structure forlinear movement relative thereto and including first and secondrelatively movable parts, means to force wire longitudinally throughsaid carriage, driving 60' means adapted to impart reciprocatorymovement of a first amplitude and frequency to said carriage partsrelative to said wire, abrading elements mounted on said first part formovement therewith and adapted to engage the surface of said wire,driving means connected with said first carriage part and adapted torotate said first part and said elements relative to said wire and saidsecond part and means operable in response to relative rotation of saidcarriage parts to impart reciprocatory movement of a second amplitudeand frequency to said first part and said elements relative to saidwire.

9. In a surface finishing machine, a frame structure, a carriageslidably mounted on said frame structure for relatively long strokes ofreciprocative movement relative to said frame structure, said carriageincluding first and second parts mounted for sliding movement onerelative to the other and for relative rotation, driving means operableto reciprocate said carriage and said parts, a surface finishing toolcarried by and movable with one of said parts, means for rotating saidone part during the aforesaid reciprocative movement of said carriage,cooperating cam means carried by said first and said second parts andoperable as an incident to rotation of said one part to produce arelatively short stroke of rectilineal reciprocative movement of saidone part and said tool relative to said other part.

10. Apparatus for surface finishing wire comprising a, frame structure,a plurality of abrading elements, a carriage slidably carried by saidframe structureand carrying said elements in radial relationshiprelative to said wire and in contact with said wire, said elements beingmounted in said carriage for reciprocation relative thereto, drivingmeans for imparting to said carriage reciprocatory movements of a firstamplitude and frequency and driving means to reciprocate said elementsrelative to said carriage.

DAVID A. WALLACE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 338,603 Logan Mar. 23, 1886342,917 Logan June 1, 1886 2,033,393 Pallas Mar. 10, 1936 2,105,637Davis Jan. 18, 1938 2,394,381 Hoern Feb. 5, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 2,932 Great Britain Feb. 18, 1891 369,164 Great BritainMar. 1'7, 19,32

